Arsenal have reportedly made an offer for Tijuana teenager Gilberto Mora, according to a former Mexico international, as the 18-year-old becomes the centre of a European tug-of-war.
Gilberto Mora turned 18 earlier this month and has already featured at a World Cup, with strong numbers in Liga MX. That combination has Barcelona, Real Madrid, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United all circling, with the Premier League now looking like a very realistic destination.
Former Mexico international Claudio Suarez told Unanimo that he knows “for a fact” the Gunners have tabled an offer, according to FootballTransfers. Arsenal’s reported plan was to sign Mora and then loan him out, as he might not have been a starter right away.
What did Claudio Suarez say about the Gilberto Mora Arsenal offer?
Suarez said Mora has had offers and that both Arsenal and Bayern Munich showed interest, presenting him with a “great project”. He called Mora’s situation unique, the kind that comes along once in a very long while.
The former Mexico man also believes the move to Europe is the right one. “If it were up to me, I’d let him go. He needs to head to Europe to start gaining that kind of experience,” Suarez said, adding that training methods are a bit more relaxed in Mexico and that being over there helps you grow. A loan-first route would suit that thinking, giving Mora time to adapt away from the first-team pressure. We covered another of the club’s targets recently in our Nicolo Tresoldi Arsenal report.
Why are Liverpool in the Gilberto Mora transfer race?
Recent weeks have seen Mora heavily linked with Merseyside. It has been claimed that Liverpool have made a Liga MX record offer worth more than €40m, despite earlier suggestions that he has a €25m release clause.
Last week the teenager added fuel to the fire when he appeared to react positively to a fan asking him to join Liverpool, smiling and giving a thumbs-up on camera.
Is Mora ready for the Premier League?
Not everyone is convinced. Wolves star Raul Jimenez believes the diminutive playmaker would be better off moving to Spain or taking an intermediate step in the Netherlands or Portugal.
His agent, Rafael Pimenta, has urged calm. With the FIFA transfer window closed until January, and then again until June, Pimenta warned that the constant rumours could “ruin” a young player who needs his space and time. The picture around Arsenal’s attacking recruitment is still moving. Suarez also pointed to Juan Carlos Osorio, who gave Mora his Tijuana debut, as part of the path that got him here.
Author opinion: should Arsenal chase Gilberto Mora?
It is a question of “when”, not “if”, Mora leaves Mexico. A loan-first structure makes sense for Arsenal, because it gives a teenager time to adapt without immediate pressure. The issue is Liverpool’s reported record offer, which will be hard to beat. Gooners should read this as interest rather than a done deal, especially with Andrea Berta’s recruitment work usually spread across several names.
